President Vanellope von Schweetz first appeared in Disney's 2012 film Wreck-It Ralph, voiced by Sarah Silverman. She was originally the princess of the racing game Sugar Rush until Turbo, a rogue character from the game TurboTime, usurped her throne and erased her subjects' memories of her, reducing her into a glitch. Despite this, Vanellope seeks to become a true racer.

In the film, she encounters Wreck-It Ralph after he crash-lands into Sugar Rush, and steals his medal to gain access to the game's Nightly Roster Race and become a racer. Though he initially chases her for stealing his medal, he soon sympathizes with her dream of becoming a racer and helps her fulfill it. However, Turbo's manipulation forces Ralph to destroy her kart, and with it her friendship, in exchange for the medal. Ralph eventually discovers that Vanellope was meant to be a part of the game, and reconciles with her. She participates in the Nightly Roster Race, where she gains control of her glitching and discovers the truth about Turbo's usurping. Following Turbo's death, Vanellope regains her rightful place as ruler of Sugar Rush, though she decides to become president instead and retains her glitching abilities.